HD? 4K? How to pick out the right TV

DON EDRINGTON Computer Tutor

Buying a TV set has become a daunting challenge these days. There’s an amazingly wide array of HD (high definition) and 4K (ultra high definition) sets available from relatively inexpensive to very pricey sets with fancy features.

Expensive curved screen TVs are a fashion statement and do NOT benefit image quality.

Nowadays, most TV sets are already “Smart TVs” with easy access to Netflix and other premium apps. Don’t be tricked into thinking this is a big deal for which you should pay extra.

Consider buying a soundbar (a speaker system that projects audio from a wide enclosure). They can be mounted above or below a TV screen. Built-in TV speakers tend to be lower quality nowadays because they have become relatively tiny.

Whether you’re looking for a basic or high-performance TV, the biggest factor in your decision will probably be screen size. Consider how many people in your family typically watch at once and where you’re going to place your new set. Then pick the largest screen size that will fit comfortably into that space — and your budget.

A good rule of thumb is that a viewer should sit at a distance from the TV that is three times more than the height of the screen for HD, and just 1.5 times the screen height for 4K Ultra HD. In other words, you can sit twice as close to a 4K UHD TV.

Bottom line: Choose a screen size appropriate for the distance you will sit from the screen. 55 inches is a good place to start.